Improvement in jewelry-settings



A. C. GREENE.

JEWELRY snrmms.

No.183.,802. Patented Oct.31, 1876.

(X /w c 12201121151 UNITED STATES PATENT OFEIcE.

ALBERT G. GREENE, OF PROVIDENCE, RHQDE ISLAND.

IMPROVEMENT lN JEWELRY-SETTINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [83,802, dated October31, 1876; application filed October 11, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT O. GREENE, of the city and county ofProvidence, in the State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Setting Stones in Jewelry; and I do herebydeclare that the following specification, taken in connection with thedrawings furnished and forming a part of the same, is a clear, true, andcomplete description thereof.

In the manufacture of articles of jewelry any improvement which lessens,even in the slightest-degree, the cost of labor in the productionthereof yields results in the aggregate which are of great practicalimportance. It is obvious that such economy in manufacture as may beattained to the detriment of the beauty of the goods detracts from theirposition in the market, and practically defeats the object sought. Iattain through my improvement a great saving in the cost ofmanufacturing sleeve-buttons, studs, pins, 860., having stone oranalogous settings, and in no manner lessen their beauty anddesirability.

My invention consists in a novel holder for receiving the stone,composed of a single piece of sheet metal, embodying a border, a backingaffording a contact-surface for the rear of the stone, and the requisitesetting-points for securing the setting in position.

To more particularly describe my invention, I will refer to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents, in perspective, onan enlarged scale, a sleeve-button embodying my invention. Fig. 2represents a holder adapted to receive opaque settings. Fig. 3represents a holder adapted to receive transparent settings-likemoss-agates, for instance.

The holder at A may be made in any desired style, and cut from sheetmetal, and shaped in suitable dies. The border at a may be plain orornamented in any desired manner. The

backing at b for opaque settings may occupy the entire interior portionof the holder, as shown in Fig. 2. The setting-points at 0 may be variedin form, and any desired number may be employed. In ordinary rectangularsettings, like that shown, two on each side and one at each end will besufficient. With polygonal or other many-sided settings, a settingpointfor each side will be desirable. With circular settings, a sufficientnumber of points will be employed to firmly grasp and retain the stonein position. These points are a portion of the solid plate, formed bymeans of cutting-dies, which cut through the metal on three sides of thepoints, which, when bent upward, are ready to receive the stone. Thebacking b, as in Fig. 2, gives to the stone a firm bearing, and thepoints, on being bent inward against the inclined edges thereof, firmlysecure it in position. The upper ends of the points may be ornamented,as shown, so as to correspond with the beaded line at d between thepoints, and thereby contribute to the beauty of the article. It will beseen, when transparent stones like moss-agates are employed as settings,that a full backing, like that in Fig. 2, will not be desirable, andtherefore, for such stones, I make the backing, as shown in Fig. 3. Inthis case the central portion of the metal is wholly removed, leavingbetween the setting-points bearings for the stone, as at c. This mode ofconstruction atfords as many bearings as there are points, and, all ofthem being in the same plane, they constitute as good a bed for thestone as when made as in Fig. 2.

The border may be made of any width desired, and in some instances itmay be formed so as to be nearly imperceptible to the eye from a frontview when a stone has been set, and it is to be distinctly understoodthat my invention embraces any border which constitutes a base fromwhich the several setting-points are formed, and which has a continuousunbroken outline similar to the outline of the stone. When the holdershown in Fig. 2 is used I prefer to insert at its rear a back plate, towhich the button-shank is secured. With the open-backed holder, as inFig. 3, I prefer to use a rectangular frame instead of a full backplate, and combine therewith a forked buttonshank, the arms of whichwill be respectively connected with opposite sides of the frame, andthereby leave the rear of the stone unobstructed.

In the manufacture of breast-pins, similar back plates and frames may beemployed, or, as in some of the cheaper grades, the tonguejoint andhook-catch may be respectively applied to opposite ends of the border atits rear side. These methods of connecting the stoneholder with theother portions of the article in which it may be used constitute noportion of my invention. It will be seen that I obviate the necessityheretofore existing of either filing up setting-points from a solid massof metal, or soldering the several points to a border, and therein liesthe prime advantage accruing from my invention.

I am aware that, in the manufacture of buttons, as heretofore practiced,cup-shaped settings, having a toothed edge, have been made from a singlepiece of metal, and it is to be distinctly understood that I make noclaim to that mode of setting.

It will be readily seen that the form and number of the setting-pointsmay be extensively varied, and that holders embodying my invention maybe arranged to resemble styles of setting other. than that herein shown,and I do not therefore limit my invention to any particular style ofsetting; but

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- Aholder for receiving astone or other ornamental jewelry-setting, whichconsists of a single piece of sheet metal, formed into a border, abacking which affords a foundation for the rear of the stone, and. asuitable number of setting-points projecting from the inner line of theborder for engaging withthe stone, substantially as described.

ALBERT O. GREENE. Witnesses:

FRANCIS A. DANIELS, THEODORE B. TALBOT.

